Mental Health Therapy comes at us and says we must do things we are not comfortable with. It makes us look at things we want to push aside and work on things that do not come naturally to us.
I have been asked many times what my approach to a mental health is. Well that really depends on the diagnosis. Diagnosis is not just coming up with a fancy label, it is discovering why we feel, act and think the ways we do. People are very complex, and our emotional life is even more complex than our physical body.
What is my approach?
When seeking out a therapist you may have asked this question. But how do you know if the answer is a good one. You need to, in some way, place trust in your therapist or seek out another opinion.
My basic approach.
All therapists have existential beliefs, you probably need to know where they are coming from to see if it is a good fit for you. So, ask. I come from a Christian background that informs my beliefs and behaviors.
Human beings have a body, soul or mind, and spirit. It is how we are made. I believe we need to be wholistic in our approaches.
How do I approach Mental health? Like most of my colleagues, I do not believe in a singular approach and I use what I believe will be more effective for the specific individual I am working with.
I believe we are completely connected body mind and spirit, therefore, to be effective we need to consider all three areas. Some people call this holistic.
We each have a unique history, background, traumas, gifts, talents, circumstances, socio-economic realities, relationships, etc. Our personal history shapes our feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. So, I use different approaches depending on what I encounter, what I see your needs to be.
In Brief, I will use
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) This is how our thinking and beliefs shape our behaviors. This uses a basic ABC approach. Activation, Belief, and Consequences. i.e. Something happens to us, we get angry or hurt and we act according to what we believe which brings a consequence.
Narrative therapy I want to look at the story of your life and to then reshape how you see yourself by changing the narrative we have going on in our head. By retelling our story, we can make different choices. The Schema we have going on in our heads doesn’t always work and needs to be changed. I may use Psychodrama to set the stage and discover what is really driving us toward our actions. I may also use life integration to work through traumatic experiences.
Existential Therapy. This has to do with our basic beliefs about the world and people. We must have hope, meaning, and purpose. If we know the why of what we are doing, we can almost always overcome how. In today's society, we are frequently told we do not count and we can be tossed aside. This leads to depression and frequently bad behavior. Rooting our selves in the values we want to present will transform us to move toward the people we want to become.
I want you to consider seriously what you live for, and why you do what you do.
I use the Multi-Modal approach at times knowing that each of us responds to a variety of stimulus in different ways.
Behavior: What specific action do you want to do more of or less of?
Affect: What emotion would you like to increase or decrease?
Sensation: What sensation would you like to have more often or experience less frequently?
Imagery: What mental picture would you like “see” more often or less often in your “mind’s eye?"
Cognition: What specific thought would you like to increase or decrease; start or stop?
Interpersonal relationships: What specific social change would you like to make?
Drugs/Health/ Biology: What specific change in a healthy habit or physical issue would you like to make?
I also use Motivational Interviewing. Until you are ready to change and decide that you want to make a change anything I do will probably not be very helpful. If I can help you become motivated to make a change and decide what that change will be, then we are on our way to a healthier you.
Maybe someone in your life is telling you that something must change but you are not yet convinced. I may be able to help you see what they see and increase your motivation to do something different. If you keep doing what you are doing you will keep getting what you are getting. Maybe you need to change the one person you can change, …you.
There are probably more techniques and approaches that will need to be considered, but this is a good sample of what you may expect from me as your therapist. I know that I am not the right therapist for everyone. But am I right for you? I guarantee that you as my client, you will be cared for and that I will have your mental and spiritual, health as my priority. So, make an appointment and come on in, sit down, and let’s make you better. “Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” — Mahatma Gandhi
Gandhi was completely right. When you don’t act in accordance with your values and goals, you’re internally-conflicted.
Additional areas of focus: Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Eating disorders, Sleeping disorders, Anger management, Self esteem, Career difficulties, Bipolar disorder, Depression, Coping with life changes, Compassion fatigue, Hoarding, Hospice and End of Life Counseling, Infidelity, Military and Veterans Issues, Obsessions, Compulsions, and OCD, Personality Disorders, Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling), Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Sex Addiction, Sexual Assault and Abuse
Clinical approaches: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Attachment-Based Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Existential Therapy, Mindfulness Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Narrative Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy
WA LMHC LH60809770
These quotes represent just a few of the many positive reviews that we have received for David Daroff. We don't pay anyone to provide their review and they are all made voluntarily. Some people's experience receiving therapy with BetterHelp might be different.
Thanks for being a real person that try's!
We need this kind of leadership in this world!
I am grateful that I got Lucky enough to speak with David. I'm a better person today, than I was just..... two weeks ago!
I Believe, it will only get Better. Because , David, Listens and informs.
To Me. IT'S way better than.... well, whatever you might believe to be worse.
I'm in it to win it, Are You?
Written on Jun 07, 2023 after therapy with David for 2 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, grief, eating disorders, sleeping disorders, and coping with life changes
David is balanced, fair, considerate and wise. He has guided my wife and I back into each other's light and helped us become whole again. Thank you David!
Written on Jan 22, 2023 after therapy with David for 5 months
Responsive
Written on Jul 05, 2022 after therapy with David for 2 weeks on issues concerning stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship issues, anger management, and adhd
Thank u for being there to listen and I scheduled a new appointment because some thing came up
Written on May 30, 2022 after therapy with David for 2 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, family conflicts, sleeping disorders, self esteem, anger management, bipolar disorder, coping with life changes, and adhd
David is an exceptional therapist that validates your emotions and helps you see past the gaslighting you have done to yourself. I am so thankful to have finally been matched to someone who I can recieve better help from
Written on May 24, 2022 after therapy with David for 2 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, intimacy-related issues, self esteem, anger management, career difficulties, and coping with life changes
David has been so refreshing. I had a concern of having a Reverend as a therapist, as I have some past trauma with the church. He has been nothing but kind, helpful, and disarming. He really takes the time to ask questions to understand instead of assuming things about you, which is so appreciated. He listens and advises without judgement and is full of kindness. I highly recommend him for people who want a Christian therapist who won't overwhelm with you with "super spiruality" and who will give you many physical, down to earth tools to help with your relationships or daily anxieties
Written on Nov 01, 2021 after therapy with David for 2 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, intimacy-related issues, self esteem, coping with life changes, and compassion fatigue